NPD (and Question): Geddy Lee YYZ Sansamp from Tech 21 NYC

[Riff Ranger]

Geddy Lee’s tone has always done it for me—particularly during that break in “Free Will”—so when I decided I could do better in the DI department, the YYZ seemed like the most logical candidate. When a discounted specimen appeared in my reverb feed, I sold off the direct box I had and pounced. Tech 21’s fancy tin had taken a hit, which would explain the discount, but the contents appeared unharmed. I got to try it with my headphone amplifier last night.

It sounds great! As I had hoped, it nails that juicy top end with its unique mid control, and the range of distortion from the drive control has plenty of nuance between pristine clean and full-blown distortion, which I hadn’t gotten from anything other than tubes, and without any fizz or “box of angry bees.” This box really gets into Geddy-land with little fuss.

I do have one concern: the box I sold had an XLR out as well. The 1/4” out will definitely work with my interface, so it suits my home recording purposes for now, but am I ever going to miss that XLR out in a studio or on a stage? I haven’t recorded in a proper studio in almost 20 years, and back then, I had a mic on my big rig if I needed any PA support.

Thank you for reading, and for any insights into the XLR (hopefully non-) issue.

 

[Riff Ranger]

Bueller?

 

[Al Kraft]

Geddy Lee’s tone has always done it for me—particularly during that break in “Free Will”—so when I decided I could do better in the DI department, the YYZ seemed like the most logical candidate. When a discounted specimen appeared in my reverb feed, I sold off the direct box I had and pounced. Tech 21’s fancy tin had taken a hit, which would explain the discount, but the contents appeared unharmed. I got to try it with my headphone amplifier last night.

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It sounds great! As I had hoped, it nails that juicy top end with its unique mid control, and the range of distortion from the drive control has plenty of nuance between pristine clean and full-blown distortion, which I hadn’t gotten from anything other than tubes, and without any fizz or “box of angry bees.” This box really gets into Geddy-land with little fuss.

I do have one concern: the box I sold had an XLR out as well. The 1/4” out will definitely work with my interface, so it suits my home recording purposes for now, but am I ever going to miss that XLR out in a studio or on a stage? I haven’t recorded in a proper studio in almost 20 years, and back then, I had a mic on my big rig if I needed any PA support.

Thank you for reading, and for any insights into the XLR (hopefully non-) issue.

I'll first say congrats on a great pedal and then suggest you have a non-issue.

If you're concerned, get yourself a nice Radial or Countryman DI and it'll be ready to send an XLR across stage to the mixing desk/stage input end of the snake for those times you are without a bass head DI out. If you are using a bass head, just go with DI pre-out and you'll be sending the same signal you'd have 10 feet earlier at your pedal output. Most bass head DI's these days are pretty darn good IME.

As always, YMMV!